Refrigerating apparatus



June 13, 1933. J. G. KING 1,913,883.,

REFRIGERAT ING APPARATUS Origihal Filed Jan. 30, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 13, 1933. J KING 1,913,888

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Original 'Filed Jan. 30, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 13, 1933 UNITED STATES JESSE G. KING,

PATENT OFFICE OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO FRIGIDAIRE CORPORATION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE BEFRIGERATIiN'G APPARATUS :Original application filed January 30, 1928, Serial 1W0. 250,407. Divided and this application filed July 1,

1929. Serial No. 375,086.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to an improved refrigerating system and improved cooling elements therefor, the present application being a division of my application filed Jan. 30, 1928, Serial No. 250,407,now Patent'No. 1,861,091, patented May 13, 1932.

It is one of the objects of this invention'to provide an improved form of cooling -ele-' 0 ment which is economical to manufacture and which has high cooling capacity within a small volume.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved cooling element for chilling circulating water which minimizes the danger of the water becoming mixed with the refrigerant in the event of accident or of failure of some part of the apparatus.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a refrigerating system constructed in accordance with the present invention, and Figs. 2 and 3 are a longitudinal vertical section and an end elevation, respectively,

of the cooling unit.

In refrigerating systems employing sulfur dioxide for refrigerant it is very common to have water in heat exchange'relation with the refrigerant, for example, circulating water to be cooled by a cooling element. In such circumstances there is likelihood of water getting into the refrigerating system due to leaks, imperfect joints, or accident such as freezing of the water. This is particularly true where there are joints in the heat-"conducting path between the water and the refrigerant. It is well known that water when mixed with sulfur dioxide forms sulfurous acid which is highly destructive to the apparatus. Consequently care must be taken to prevent water from getting into the system. One of the objects of my invention is to provide a refrigerating system in i which there are no joints in the heat conductis cooled by Water supplied to it by a coning path between the water and refrigerant so that the water can get in the refrigerant only thru rupture of the entire cooling element. I

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cooling element for chilling circulating water, in which, in the event of freezing of the water, any rupture will occur in such a manner as to prevent water from getting into the refrigerant.

Referring to Fig. 1, my system comprises a conventional compressor 20 actuated by a -motor 21 for circulating refrigerant t-hru one or more refrigerating elements 22 and 23. The compressor draws gaseous refrigerant from the refrigerating elements 22 and 23by suction or vapor conduits 24 and 25 respectively, compresses the refrigerant and delivers it to a condenser 26 where it is liquefiedand from which it flows to the high pressure or liquid conduit 28, if desired thru a receiver or reservoir 29, in which it may be stored against demand for refrigeration by the refrigerating elements. The condenser duit 26a. The compressor may be started and stopped by means of a switch 30 which controls the motor 21, and which may be opened and closed in response to the refrigerating demand of either or both of the refrigerating elements 22 and 23.

The refrigerating element 22 is a water cooler in which a shell he'lically corrugated by bending or the like is closed at its ends by being spun over and soldered to end plates 82 and 83. A shell 84 is disposed outside of in contact with the shell 80 so as to form a helical passage 85 for circulating water. The shell Si is provided with inlet and outlet connections 86 to conduct the water to and from the passage. The corrugatedshell 80 forms a reservoir for liquid refrigerant which is supplied thereto by a branch of the liquid conduit- 28 and is maintained at a substantially constant level therein by means of a valve 87 controlling the liquid inlet and actuated by the float 88. An outlet connection 89 is provided for withdrawing refrigerant evaporated in the shell, Preferably both the inlet and outlet connections are provided. with shut-off valves 90. These valves as well as the float control mechanism are all mounted on a plat-e92 which is removably attached to the end plate 83 by bolts 94.

It will be observed that the water cooler shown minimizes the danger of water getting into the refrigerant conduits. The temperture control valve hereinafter referred to is intended to keep the water cooler always at a temperature above 32 F. and thus prevent freezing of the water even in the event that .no water is withdrawn from the cooler for a considerable period of time. However, in the event of accidental freezing of the water, the arrangement is such that any resulting breakage will not establish a leak between the water passages and the refrigerant passages. If the joints at the ends of the container should break the water will merely escape but will not get into the container. ()r, if the water should freeze at some point intermediate. the ends, the outer shell will burst before the inner shell for the reason that the compressive strength of the corrugated shell is greater than the tensile strength of the outer shell. The water cooler is enclosed in any suitable insulating cabinet 95 which is provided with a spigot 96, connected to the water outlet passage 86 for withdrawing cooled water. The cooler is supplied with water by being connected to any suitable supply conduit 97.

The switch 80 which controls the operation of the system may be actuated by a bar 116 which is pivoled at 117 and is biased to open the switch by a spring 118. The switch may be closed by a thermostat such as a metal bellows 119 connected with a bulb 120 charged with a volatile liquid and thermally associated with the rcfrige 'ating element 22 or by a similar thermosxat including a bellows 121 connected with a bulb 122 thermally associated with the cooling element 23. \Vhen there is a refrigerating demand upon either refrigerating element, its correspomllng bellows will close the switch to operate the compressor.

The refrigerating element 22 is intended for cooling circulating water for drinking purposes and therefore operates at a temperature substantially above 32 F. The cooling element 23 may be used to freeze ice and must therefore operate at a temperature substantially below 32 F. If the refrigerating demand of the water cooler 22 should be satisfied while there is still a demand on the refrigerating element 23, the compressor would continue to operate and would withdraw refrigerant from both the. units. This would result in freezing. the water. Toprevcnt freezing, I place in the suction line leading from the water cooler an automatic valve 123 which closes the suction line in response to satisfaction of the. refrigerating demand,

and prevents further refrigeration. The particular construction of this valve forms no part of the present invention, and it may, for example, be a valve which is held open by high pressure in the suction line corresponding to a high temperature of the refrigerating element and which automatically closes in response to a low pressure in the suction line corresponding to the desired low temperature in the refrigerating element, as is more fully disclosed in the patent to Eddy, No. 1,185,596, filed May 30, 1916.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a reservoir for liquid re frigerant. having a wall helically corrugated by bending or the like, a tubular member cooperating with the wall to form a helical passage for liquid to be cooled, means for maintaining liquid refrigerant at a substantially constant level in the reservoir. means for circulating liquid thru the helical passage and means for circulating refrigerant thru the reservoir in response to the cooling demand of the circulating liquid;

2. A cooling element for refrige 'ating system comprising in combination a helically corrugated tubular member, a second tubular member surrounding the corrugated member and secured at its ends to the corrugated member to form a helical passage for circulating fluid to be cooled means closing the ends of the corrugated member to form a container for liquid refrigerant, means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant and means carried by one of said closure means for maintaining a substantially constant level of liquid refrigerant in the reservoir.

3. An expansion unit for refrigerating apparatus, comprising a pair of tubular members, the inner member closed at its ends forming a refrigerating chamber, said members arranged with their walls concentrically disposed with portions of adjacent faces directly contacting, one of said walls being helically corrugated to afford a fluid channel surrounding the chamber, fluid inlet and outlet connections for said channel. means for admitting a refrigerant into said chamber and for releasing its gases therefrom. and means for uniting the walls near their ends.

4. An expansion unit for refrigerating apparatus, comprising a pair of tubular members, the inner member closed at its ends forming a refrigerating chamber, said 1nembers arranged with their walls cmicentrically disposed with port ons of adjacent faces directly contacting. oneof said walls being hcl ically corrugated to afford a fluid channel surrounding the chamber, fluid inlet and outlet connections for said channel, means for admitting a refrigerant into said chamber and for releasing its gases therefrom, and means for uniting the walls forming said tubular members at their opposite ends and for closing the opposite ends of said channel.

5. An expansion unit. for refrigerating apparatus, comprising a pair of tubular members, the inner member closed at its ends forming a refrigerating chamber, said members arranged with their walls concentrically disposed with portions of adjacent faces contacting. one of said walls being helically corrugated to afford a fluid channel surrounding the chamber. fluid inlet and outlet connections for said channel, means for admitting a refrigerant into said chamber and for releasing gases therefrom, and means for closing the opposite ends of said channel and circumferentially uniting said walls at their opposite ends.

6. An expansion unit for refrigerating apparatus, comprising a chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet for refrigerant and formed peripherally with a helical corrugation, a shell tightly embracing the periphery of the chamber and forming a channel of said corrugation. means for closing the ends of said channel, and fluid inlet and outlet connections at the ends of said channel.

7. An expansion unit for refrigerating apparatus. comprising a pair of tubular members, the inner member closed at its ends forming a refrigerating chamber, said members arranged with their walls concentrically disposed with portions of adjacent faces contacting. the inner of said walls being helically corrugated to afford a fluid channel surrounding the chamber, fluid inlet and outlet connections for said channel, means for admitting arefrigerant into said chamber and for releasing its gases therefrom, and means for uniting the walls near their ends.

8. A cooling element for refrigeration systems comprising coaxial cylindrical shells, one of said shells being corrugated by bending or the like, said shells being arranged to form a spirally disposed passage for liquid to be cooled between said shells and a 're'- frigerant reservoir adjacent one of said shells, means for maintaining in said reservoir a constant level of liquid refrigerant and means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said reservoir above said liquid refrigerant.

9. A cooling element for refrigeration systems comprising coaxial cylindrical shells, one of said shells being corrugated by bending or the like, and the other shell being uncorrugated, said shells being arranged to form a spirally disposed passage for liquid to be cooled between said shells and a refrigerant reservoir adjacent one of said shells, means for maintaining in said reservoir a constant level of liquid refrigerant and means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said reservoir above said liquid refrigerant.

10. Refrigerating means forming a liquid refrigerant reservoir and a passage for circulating fluid to be cooled including a wall helically corrugated by bending or the like, a tubular member cooperating withthe wall to form a helical passage for circulating fluid, an inlet for introducing liquid refrigerant in the reservoir, means for maintaining said refrigerant at asubstantially constant level in said reservoir, and means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said reservoir.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

JESSE G. KING. 

